StemCell Therapy

May 1, 2017 Ovarian cancer tumors with higher percentages of cIAP-expressing cells, shown in red at left, were more sensitive to a potential combination therapy than tumor cells without cIAP-expressing cells. Credit: UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center

Researchers have been trying to understand why up to 85 percent of women experience recurrence of high-grade serous ovarian cancerthe most common subtype of ovarian cancerafter standard treatment with the chemotherapy drug carboplatin.

Preclinical research from Dr. Sanaz Memarzadeh, who is a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, has potentially solved this mystery and pinpointed a combination therapy that may be effective for up to 50 percent of women with ovarian cancer.

Memarzadeh's research, published in the journal Precision Oncology, shows a new combination therapy of carboplatin and an experimental drug called birinapant can improve survival in mice with ovarian cancer tumors. Additional findings reveal that testing for a specific protein could identify ovarian tumors for which the treatment could be effective. Importantly, the treatment could also target cancers that affect other parts of the body, including the bladder, cervix, colon and lung cancer.

In 2015, Memarzadeh and her team uncovered and isolated carboplatin-resistant ovarian cancer stem cells. These cells have high levels of proteins called cIAPs, which prevent cell death after chemotherapy. Since the cancer stem cells survive carboplatin treatment, they regenerate the tumor; with each recurrence of ovarian cancer, treatment options become more limited. Memarzadeh showed that birinapant, which degrades cIAPs, can make carboplatin more effective against some ovarian cancer tumors.

"I've been treating women with ovarian cancer for about two decades and have seen firsthand that ovarian cancer treatment options are not always as effective as they should be," said Memarzadeh, director of the G.O. Discovery Lab and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Our previous research was promising, but we still had questions about what percentage of tumors could be targeted with the birinapant and carboplatin combination therapy, and whether this combination could improve overall survival by eradicating chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer tumors."

In this new study, the research team first tested whether the combination therapy could improve survival in mice. Half of the mice tested had carboplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer tumors and the other half had carboplatin-sensitive tumors. The team administered birinapant or carboplatin as well as the two drugs combined and then monitored the mice over time. While birinapant or carboplatin alone had minimal effect, the combination therapy doubled overall survival in half of the mice regardless of whether they had carboplatin-resistant or carboplatin-sensitive tumors.

"Our results suggest that the treatment is applicable in some, but not all, tumors," said Rachel Fujikawa, a fourth year undergraduate student in Memarzadeh's lab and co-first author of the study.

To assess the combination therapy's rate of effectiveness in tumors, the team went on to test 23 high-grade serous ovarian cancer tumors from independent patients. Some were from patients who had never been treated with carboplatin and some were from patients who had carboplatin-resistant cancer.

With these samples, the researchers generated ovarian cancer tumors utilizing a method called disease-in-a-dish modeling and tested the same treatments previously tested in mice. Once again, carboplatin or birinapant alone had some effect, while the combination of birinapant and carboplatin successfully eliminated the ovarian cancer tumors in approximately 50 percent of samples. Importantly, the combination therapy worked for both carboplatin-resistant and carboplatin-sensitive tumors.

The researchers also measured cIAPs (the target for the drug birinapant) in the tumors. They found a strong correlation between cancer stem cells with high levels of cIAP and a positive response to the combination therapy. Since elevated levels of cIAPs have been linked to chemotherapy resistance in other cancers, the researchers wondered if the combination therapy could effectively target those cancers as well.

The team created disease-in-a-dish models using human bladder, cervix, colon and lung cancer cells and tested the combination therapy. Similar to the ovarian cancer findings, 50 percent of the tumors were effectively targeted and high cIAP levels correlated with a positive response to the combination therapy.

"I believe that our research potentially points to a new treatment option. In the near future, I hope to initiate a phase 1/2 clinical trial for women with ovarian cancer tumors predicted to benefit from this combination therapy," said Memarzadeh, gynecologic oncology surgeon and professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Explore further: Combination therapy may be more effective against the most common ovarian cancer

More information: V. La et al, Birinapant sensitizes platinum-resistant carcinomas with high levels of cIAP to carboplatin therapy, npj Precision Oncology (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41698-017-0008-z

High-grade serous ovarian cancer often responds well to the chemotherapy drug carboplatin, but why it so frequently comes back after treatment has been a medical mystery.

About one-third of patients with ovarian cancer who wouldn't be expected to respond to a PARP inhibitor had partial shrinkage of their tumor when a kinase inhibitor was added to treatment, report scientists from Dana-Farber ...

Adding an aromatase inhibitor to presurgery treatment with docetaxel, carboplatin, trastuzumab (Herceptin), and pertuzumab (Perjeta) did not significantly increase or decrease the percentage of patients with hormone receptor ...

Treating ovarian cancer with platinum-based chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin is initially very effective, with about four out of five patients responding favorably. However, most of these patients quickly become resistant ...

Working with human breast cancer cells and mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins say they have identified a biochemical pathway that triggers the regrowth of breast cancer stem cells after chemotherapy.

More than half of all patients with ovarian cancer experience recurrent disease and will eventually fail to respond to chemotherapy. The failure of chemotherapy is usually due to the development of resistance to the two main ...

Using the gene-editing system known as CRISPR, MIT researchers have shown in mice that they can generate colon tumors that very closely resemble human tumors. This advance should help scientists learn more about how the disease ...

Researchers have been trying to understand why up to 85 percent of women experience recurrence of high-grade serous ovarian cancerthe most common subtype of ovarian cancerafter standard treatment with the chemotherapy ...

Immunotherapy, in which cells from the human immune system are unleashed to fight disease, has been the big story in cancer treatment over the past few years. When it works, it can spur long-lasting remission in patients ...

A collaborative Cleveland Clinic, University of Oxford and Moffitt Cancer Center team of researchers has proven the theory that, while resistance to targeted treatment in cancer is truly a moving target, there are opportunities ...

Scientists have described new results of a blood cancer study as 'outstanding' in tackling previously untreatable forms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

Researchers from the transformation and metastasis group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), led by Dr. Eva Gonzlez-Surez, have recreated and characterized the development of resistance to chemotherapy ...

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

Go here to read the rest:
Combination therapy could provide new treatment option for ovarian cancer - Medical Xpress

It was a normal day for John Sabec on June 16, 2011, when he fell asleep at his home in Pueblo, Colorado.

But his life was anything but normal when he awoke the next morning.

And it hasnt been ever since.

That night almost six years ago he lost his vision from diabetic retinopathy. He woke up with no vision in his left eye and large gray spots blocking his vision in his right eye.

The retina in my left eye exploded, he said. A surgeon was able to reattach the retina in his right eye, but he has very limited vision, which he compares to looking through a toilet paper roll.

Sabec sank into a depression and withdrew from life for several years. But hes managed to turn his life around.

Hes now attending Helena College working on an associate degree and is a work study employee for the colleges Disability Resource Office.

What happened to him gives him a unique view into the challenges students with disabilities face.

I work with anybody with a recognized disability, he said, whether it be physical, learning or emotional. More than 100 students are registered with the Helena College office and have a documented disability.

I can empathize with a lot of people, Sabec said. I know what its like to have something taken away from you. Ive been in the same boat.

Sabec's service dog Benjamin lays at his feet recently.

As far as assistance for his own disability, the college puts his books on PDFs that he can enlarge on his home computer till the lettering is big enough for him to read. Or the computer can turn it into an audio recording he can listen to.

Accompanying him in his work and studies is his service dog, a black lab named Benjamin.

John schedules appointments, proctors tests and creates and maintains student files, said Kristine Fife, the Helena College disability resource coordinator.

The office provides a wide range of accommodations for students with disabilities ranging from physical to cognitive to psychiatric.

Anyone with documented needs can receive resources, Fife said.

John has overcome a lot with different health issues, she said. Hes shown an incredible amount of perseverance despite barriers, she said.

His own disability heightens his ability to be empathetic and assist students with disabilities.

At the time he lost his vision, I went into depression and thought my life was over, he said. I isolated myself. I wasted 2 1/2 to 3 years of my life.

I worked in law enforcement most of my adult life and was driving a paratransit bus.

He jokes that he went from driving the short bus to riding it.

June 16, 2011, was the last day he ever drove -- although it took him years, he admits, to give up the idea of being a licensed driver. Driving was a big deal to me.

Sabec wound up moving to Hardin in 2012 to be near his children, and through their help he learned of the National Federation of the Blind.

Once he began working with that organization, he discovered life doesnt end if you lose your eyesight.

In 2014 he found his way to Helena and now feels right at home.

I just like the Helena area, he said. It has big city amenities with a small town feel.

He started at Helena College in fall of 2015 and plans on graduating in fall 2017, and he wants to go on to earn a four-year degree at a Montana campus to become a disabilities advocate.

Hes been earning a 3.7 grade point average and is on the deans list.

This office has been amazing, he said. Kris has been amazing. Shes one of my reasons for success.

Everyone here is professional and caring, he said. Ive had a teacher who has gone above and beyond a teacher and is a real good friend.

Its awesome -- like a family. Everyone wants to see everyone succeed here. I just think if youre looking to further your education or become a success in life, Helena College is a great place to start.

Its given me confidence to be productive in life and to socialize again.

What hes learned from life, Sabec said, is he needs to keep striving to move forward. Whats difficult today is a speed bump. Theres smooth sailing for a while and then another speed bump.

Continue reading here:
Sudden blindness opened Helena man's eyes to a new life - Helena Independent Record

May 01, 2017 07:30 ET | Source: Research and Markets

Dublin, May 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "Animal Biotechnology - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering.

This report describes and evaluates animal biotechnology and its application in veterinary medicine and pharmaceuticals as well as improvement in food production. Knowledge of animal genetics is important in the application of biotechnology to manage genetic disorders and improve animal breeding. Genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics are also being applied to animal biotechnology.

Transgenic technologies are used for improving milk production and the meat in farm animals as well as for creating models of human diseases. Transgenic animals are used for the production of proteins for human medical use. Biotechnology is applied to facilitate xenotransplantation from animals to humans. Genetic engineering is done in farm animals and nuclear transfer technology has become an important and preferred method for cloning animals.There is discussion of in vitro meat production by culture

Biotechnology has potential applications in the management of several animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, avian flu and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The most important biotechnology-based products consist of vaccines, particularly genetically engineered or DNA vaccines. Gene therapy for diseases of pet animals is a fast developing area because many of the technologies used in clinical trials humans were developed in animals and many of the diseases of cats and dogs are similar to those in humans.RNA interference technology is now being applied for research in veterinary medicine

Molecular diagnosis is assuming an important place in veterinary practice. Polymerase chain reaction and its modifications are considered to be important. Fluorescent in situ hybridization and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays are also widely used. Newer biochip-based technologies and biosensors are also finding their way in veterinary diagnostics.

Biotechnology products are approved by the Center for Veterinary Medicine of the FDA. Regulatory issues relevant to animal biotechnology are described.

Approximately 124 companies have been identified to be involved in animal biotechnology and are profiled in the report. These are a mix of animal healthcare companies and biotechnology companies. Top companies in this area are identified and ranked. Information is given about the research activities of 11 veterinary and livestock research institutes. Important 108 collaborations in this area are shown.

Share of biotechnology-based products and services in 2016 is analyzed and the market is projected to 2026.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

1. Introduction to Animal Biotechnology

2. Application of Biotechnology in Animals

3. A Biotechnology Perspective of Animals Diseases

4. Molecular Diagnostics in Animals

5. Biotechnology-based Veterinary Medicine

6. Research in Animal Biotechnology

7. Animal Biotechnology Markets

8. Regulatory issues

9. Companies Involved in Animal Biotechnology

10. References

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6hlgn5/animal

Source: Jain PharmaBiotech

About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Related Articles

Research and Markets Logo

LOGO URL | Copy the link below

Formats available:

Continued here:
Animal Biotechnology Technologies, Markets and Companies 2016-2026 - GlobeNewswire (press release)

TORONTO, May 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - SQI Diagnostics Inc. ("SQI" or the "Company") (TSX-V: SQD; OTCQX: SQIDF), a life sciences and diagnostics company that develops and commercializes proprietary technologies and products for advanced microarray diagnostics, will be exhibiting at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) National Biotechnology Conference in San Diego, California.

"We are pleased to be a contributor to this very prestigious conference," said Andrew Morris, CEO of SQI Diagnostics. "This event brings together the world's leading experts and representatives from all sectors of pharma and biotechnology drug development and gives us the opportunity to share our novel multiplexing applications in drug development testing. Over the past year, we have made significant progress in our work with our pharma and biotech customers and believeour unique productswill prove to be beneficial to our customers who are large, global pharmaceutical companies.

The conference will run from May 1-3, 2017. Please stop by and visit us at booth 316.

About SQI Diagnostics

SQI Diagnostics is a life sciences and diagnostics company that develops and commercializes proprietary technologies and products for advanced microarray diagnostics. The Company's proprietary microarray tests and fully-automated systems are designed to simplify protein and antibody testing workflow, increase throughput, reduce costs and provide excellent data quality. For more information, please visit http://www.sqidiagnostics.com.

Contacts:

Sales and Marketing Contact: Russ Peloquin Vice President, Global Commercial Operations 913.484.9022 rpeloquin@sqidiagnostics.com

Investor Relations Contact: Andrew Morris Chief Executive Officer 416.674.9500 ext. 229 amorris@sqidiagnostics.com

Forward-looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "will", "may", "expects", "intends", "anticipates" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements in this news release include without limitation, statements with respect to the Private Placement and the use of proceeds of the Private Placement. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to risks related to the failure to obtain necessary regulatory and stock exchange approvals, general economic and market segment conditions, and international risk and currency exchange risks, agreements and future agreements to sell our products, the success of our Diagnostic Tools and Services business and our intent to build near-term revenue streams from this business, the successful regulatory filing and receipt of regulatory approvals for our later stage quantitative diagnostic kits, the acceleration of our revenue ramp, general economic and market segment conditions, competitor activity, technology changes and regulatory approvals. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at http://www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Read More

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The rest is here:
SQI Diagnostics to Exhibit at the National Biotechnology Conference - Yahoo Finance

[Editors note: Tess Doezema is a doctoral student at the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University, where she researches biotechnology promise and politics.]

[S]cientists and others offer a picture of a Manichean world divided into those who are for scientific and technological progress and those who are against ita representation of the world that we have been seeing more and more of lately in reports of a war on science. But drawing this line is dangerous. The real problem here is the regulatory process itself, which forces dissent to take the narrow form of challenges to scientific data and methodology and ignores other questions about whats at stake.

Some might read the vast public preoccupation with a broad set of social, political, and economic issues as the contamination of science with politics. But I would suggest that this is actually a case of the reverse problem: seemingly endless conflict around the AquAdvantage salmon reflects the limitation of using narrow scientific terms to address questions of broad social, political, and economic significance.

Scientists often dismiss resistance to the AquAdvantage salmon and other biotechnologies as borne of scientific ignorance. But its a lot easier to understand peoples reluctance if you realize that the debate is about much broader questions than science alone can answer.

Originally posted here:
Are you 'anti-science' if you resist biotechnology on political or economic grounds? - Genetic Literacy Project

The Newburgh Press

Prana Biotechnology Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:PRAN) Soars On Xenetic Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:XBIO) Distribution ... StockNewsUnion Prana Biotechnology Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:PRAN) continues to power high in the market on the back of a recently announced product distribution deal. A deal with Xenetic Biosciences is expected to make the company's products available on the ... Traders are Following Technical Levels for Prana Biotechnology Ltd (PRAN)Rives Journal Does Prana Biotechnology Limited (PRAN)'s current closing price competes the market?TopChronicle Notable Institutional Stake In These Stocks: Prana Biotechnology (NASDAQ:PRAN), Adamis Pharmaceuticals ...Wallstreet Investorplace TRA -The Newburgh Press -Is stories all 13 news articles »

See the original post here:
Prana Biotechnology Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:PRAN) Soars On Xenetic Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:XBIO) Distribution ... - StockNewsUnion

USA Commerce Daily

379,289 Shares in Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) Acquired by ... The Cerbat Gem Emerald Advisers Inc. PA bought a new stake in shares of Puma Biotechnology Inc (NYSE:PBYI) during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F ... Should You Buy, Sell, Or Hold? - Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI), SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW)USA Commerce Daily Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust Takes Position in Puma ...BBNS Puma Biotechnology (PBYI) Getting Somewhat Negative Press ...Chaffey Breeze HugoPress -Rives Journal -W News all 17 news articles »

More:
379,289 Shares in Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) Acquired by ... - The Cerbat Gem

A 4,000 year-old medical tradition from India is the inspiration for a local researcher whos looking for new ways to treat and prevent arthritis.

In the lab hes unlocking the healing properties of herbs, fruits, and flowers.

In this weeks Exploradio, WKSUs Jeff St.Clair explores how modern science is revealing the ancient secrets of Ayurveda.

My mother suffered from arthritis," says Northeast Ohio Medical University researcherTariqHaqqi.

He says aspirin and other conventional treatments didnt help, so she sought a traditional healer who prescribed certain herbs.

And my mother felt quite a bit of pain relief and she was even able to walk after those medicines, so those things were in my mind from my childhood.

Inspired by that success, Haqqi now studies how natural remedies work to relieve arthritis.

We are studying the pomegranate extract. We are studying also another medicinal plant from India called Butea monosperma, and we are studying a purified compound called woginin, which is from the Chinese traditional medicine system.

Pomegranate fruit and juice is everywhere. Butea monosperma, or the Flame of the Forest tree, and the compound woginin from the Chinese skullcap flower (Scutellaria baicalensis) are a little less familiar.

Haqqi is testing all of them as potential arthritis medicines.

Healing properties of pomegranates

In a recent study Haqqi fed rabbits with surgically induced arthritis a pomegranate extract both before and after the surgery.

He found that the cartilage in the knees of rabbits that ate pomegranates was relatively untouched by arthritis.

We are not seeing the cartilage degradation here," says Haqqi, "because the enzymes which are involved in matrix breakdown are not being allowed to go up.

Haqqi says compounds in the pomegranates migrate to the synovial fluid surrounding the knee joints, seep into the cells, and block the breakdown of the tissue.

One of his students is testing an extract of flowers from the Flame of the Forest tree to see if it has a similar effect in humans.

Flame of the Forest flowers

Mohammad Ansari shows me a petri dish with a thin layer of liquid that he says contains five million cells, which under a microscope look like misshapen polygons.

Theyre called chondrocytes.

All the cartilage in your body, your knees, your nose, your ears, all of it comes from this one type of cell.

In the petri dish Ansari treats the chondrocytes with an inflammatory protein called Interleukin 1 betathat triggers the breakdown of cartilage basically inducing arthritis - then he adds the Flame of the Forest flower extract.

Ansari says compounds from the flower extract called polyphenols stop the cartilage breakdown.

They inhibit these pathways," that cause inflammation, Ansarisays, and boost the growth of the cartilage matrix.

Ayurveda's ancient knowledge

The fact that these plants have healing properties is no surprise to Marc Halpern, founder of the California College of Ayurveda.

Theres no shortage of evidence supporting the effectiveness of Ayurvedic medicine today.

Ayurveda translates as the "science of life."

Its a system of medicine that originated in India around 4,000 years ago, preserved in ancient texts.

The textbooks of Ayurvedic medicine describe almost every condition that we face todayfrom cancer to ulcerative colitis, to pneumonia, to interstitial cystitis, kidney stones

The texts include descriptions of herbs like the ones Tariq Haqqi is testing in his lab.

How does the Ayurvedic system of medicine work?

Ayurveda is a science of understanding what is right for you, says Halpern.

Were all different, says Halpern, and so is the way we respond to remedies.

The closest thing to it in Western thought would be our genetic makeup. We each have unique biochemical needs. Ayurveda has understood this for thousands of years.

Halpern looks at 50 or so physical characteristics, your pulse, skin, eyes, digestion to determine what he calls your Ayurvedic constitution and tendencies.

The emphasis, he says, is on prevention, and once we understand their tendencies, then we can work with those tendencies to define a diet and lifestyle thats right for that person.

Halperns college is the only school in the country that certifies Ayurvedic doctors, the highest level of accreditation.

Currently there are only a handful of Ayurvedic doctors in America. But the number of Ayurvedic practioners and health counselors is growing.

Halpern looks forward to the day when Ayurveda goes mainstream.

Eventually the day will come where you see an advertisement for Ayurvedic medicine during the superbowl!

He is working with a yoga studio in Columbus to train Ayurvedic practioners.

Meanwhile at NEOMED, Tariq Haqqi is for seeking new, safer treatments for arthritis, using Ayurveda as inspiration.

It is now for us to go deeper into it with modern science.

See the article here:
The Ancient Science of Ayurveda Inspires Arthritis Research At ... - WOSU

Durham Herald Sun

UNC student dispels stereotype, seeks arthritis cure Durham Herald Sun Barber has had arthritis since she was 13. She is one of two Triangle residents chosen by the Triangle/Coastal Office of the Arthritis Foundation to be the face of arthritis and to help spread the word about the Triangle Walk to Cure Arthritis on ...

Go here to see the original:
UNC student dispels stereotype, seeks arthritis cure - Durham Herald Sun

GETTY

Many children lose their sight or suffer impaired vision due to an inflammatory complication of the condition.

Scientists believe they may have uncovered the silver bullet when it comes to stopping this devastating damage.

A pioneering trial, funded by the charity Arthritis Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), has discovered a drug combination which has very impressive results.

The trial was first of its kind in the world and the findings are being hailed as a major step forward for thousands of children.

The trial's co-chief investigators, Professors Athimalaipet Ramanan, based at Bristol's Children Hospital and Michael Beresford, based in Liverpool, found that a drug called Adalimumab, in combination with Methotrexate, was an effective therapy in children with arthritis who go on to develop Uveitis an inflammation of the eye A staggering 75 per cent of those treated with the medication experienced a significant reduction in eye inflammation.

Early analysis of the data was so convincing that the trial was stopped prematurely.

GETTY

Professor Ramanan, who also works at Bristol University, said, Uveitis in children is an important cause of loss of vision.

This study demonstrates the benefit of Adalimumab in children with uveitis. This is the first randomised trial of its kind worldwide and the results will have a major impact in children with uveitis all around the world.

Professor Beresford from University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust said: This landmark trial has demonstrated the commitment and leadership of colleagues across the UK in working closely with patients and parents in tackling a key priority of finding the very best way of caring for children with arthritis and this serious problem of uveitis.

It has shown the UK to be extremely well placed to deliver challenging trials in children, with the support of the NIHR Clinical Research Network and other research networks that are in place across the UK.

There are 15,000 children and adolescents in the UK with the auto-immune disease JIA. One third of those are likely to develop uveitis, leading to more serious visual impairments and may be registered as blind.

1 of 11

GETTY

Stephen Simpson, the director of research and programmes at Arthritis Research UK said: We are thrilled of the outcome of this trial and the huge promise it heralds for transforming the quality of life for the large numbers of children with JIA-associated uveitis.

This trial is an impressive example of how investing in exceptional science can ultimately help change how treatment is delivered with direct and immediate benefit for patients.

Go here to read the rest:
British trial will save the sight of thousands of arthritic children - Express.co.uk

Home Anti-Aging Arthritis Palindromic rheumatism (a cause of rheumatoid arthritis): Causes, symptoms, and treatment

Palindromic rheumatism is a rare inflammatory condition and a precursor of rheumatoid arthritis, with about a third of patients progressing to the disease. Palindromic rheumatism is considered a form of inflammatory arthritis and is also goes by the name palindromic arthritis. It is characterized by flare-ups that start in one joint but may spread to others before settling down. Flare-ups are episodic in nature.

Due to the rarity of the condition, little research on the topic has been done. However, previously done studies have shown that during episodes of palindromic rheumatism, inflammatory cells move into the lining of the joints, promoting the characteristic redness and swelling in the affected area. What triggers this reaction is unknown, though genetic factors have been suggested. Other possible reasons could include infection, imbalance of hormones, and even trauma. Palindromic rheumatism affects both men and women equally for all ages.

Symptoms often present with sudden and recurrent attacks of painful swelling in one or more joints, with attacks lasting as long as several days or just a few hours. It is common for patients to be symptom-free between these attacks. This inflammatory action may travel from joint to joint after the initial flare-up, but soon disappears with joints feeling normal after a short period. This inflammatory reaction is not known for causing damage to the joints. Over time, some individual with this condition may develop chronic joint inflammation and go on to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Other palindromic rheumatism symptoms may include:

Odds are, if you happen to have this rare condition, your physician may not recognize it right away. The symptoms may be confused with other similarly presenting disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis, which may prompt your doctor to perform various tests in this regard, but will often come up inconclusive, further prolonging the diagnosis of palindromic rheumatism. This lack of obtaining a definite diagnosis right away will most likely lead to you seeing a specialize that the recommendation of your doctor, which will very likely lead to an accurate diagnosis of your condition. Specialists for conditions such as this are often called rheumatologists.

Unfortunately, no specific tests exist to diagnose palindromic rheumatism, but instead with the eye of a highly-trained doctor in the conditions, such as a rheumatologist, a diagnosis based on symptoms alone is often enough. This conclusion will often come after all other likely causes of similarly presenting symptoms have been ruled out become making a palindromic rheumatism diagnosis

The most effective treatment strategy aims at decreasing the amount of inflammation occurring at the joint. Your doctor may recommend taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can be effective in decreasing inflammatory episodes, as well as for controlling pain and stiffness.

Other medication such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can help lower the frequency and length of attacks. It may also reduce the probability of developing rheumatoid arthritis in the future. This medication is typically not the first choice when treating palindromic rheumatism, but may be an option if your doctor feels it is the best form of therapy in your particular case. Blood monitoring, frequent checks for side effects, along with kidney and liver monitoring are often required for drugs like these for palindromic rheumatism treatment.

If you happen to have palindromic rheumatism, there are many things to keep in mind when facing recurrent attacks. The following can help ease your symptoms:

During an attack:

Exercise: It may be useful to see a physiotherapist as they may help you find your best balance of rest and exercise. Staying active helps keep your joints working properly, but it is important to know your limits and not to overexert yourself, as palindromic rheumatism and fatigue commonly come together.

Diet: While no food has been conclusively identified to help palindromic rheumatism specifically, keeping a well-balanced diet that helps lose weight may keep you from putting excess tension and stress of your joints.

Work: A mild form of the condition is unlikely to significantly affect your work, but frequent and more severe inflammatory episodes may cause some difficulties. By making some necessary adjustments, you can cope with such symptoms more effectively. If you find you are unable to work due to your condition, there may be programs available that help those with disabilities.

Sex and pregnancy: Constant feeling of fatigue and pain may be off-putting when thinking about having sex, but during the symptom-free times between episodes, having sex should be a relatively pain-free experience. If you are looking to become pregnant and are currently taking certain medications for the treatment of palindromic rheumatism, it is best to speak to your doctor first and make the necessary medication adjustments, as they may interfere with normal fetal development.

Related Reading:

Use of pedometers found to decrease fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Rheumatoid arthritis and feet: The connection and feet arthritis pain relief tips

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/expert-answers/palindromic-rheumatism/faq-20058516 http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/palindromic-rheumatism/ http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions/palindromic-rheumatism/diagnosis.aspx http://www.healthline.com/health/palindromic-rheumatism#treatment4

Read this article:
Palindromic rheumatism (a cause of rheumatoid arthritis): Causes, symptoms, and treatment - Bel Marra Health

Stem Cells 101, the Value Proposition

The Key purpose of stem cells is to maintain, heal and regenerate tissues wherever they reside in our body. This is a continuous process that occurs inside the human body throughout its life.

If we did not have stem cells, our lifespan would be about 1 hour, because there would be nothing to replace exhausted cells or damaged tissue. In addition, any time the body is exposed to any sort of toxin, the inflammatory process causes stem cells to swarm the area to repair the damage.

As an example: Say you went to the gym in the morning and did some squats. As a result of that, you would get tiny tears inside the muscle. The stem cells that reside beneath the muscle would come out and repair those little tears.

The reason that, if you continuously go to the gym, you would start to build new muscle, is because those stem cells, hard at work underneath your muscle, are helping to repair and build that new muscle. This would apply to all of the tissues inside your body.

Sure, it is easy to think of stem cell therapy as a magic bullet,but is wise to implement strategies that nourish and thereby help optimize the stem cells we already have in our body.

As noted by Kristin Comella, named # 1 on the Academy of Regenerative Practices list of Top 10 stem cell innovators, has been a stem cell researcher for nearly 20 years: You have to create an appropriate environment for these cells to function in. If you are putting garbage into your body and you are constantly burdening your body with toxins, your stem cells are getting too distracted trying to fight off those toxins.

By creating an appropriate environment, optimizing your diet and reducing exposure to toxins, that will allow the stem cells that were putting in to really home in and focus on the true issue that were trying to treat.

The other thing weve discovered over the years is that [stem cell therapy] is not the type of thing where you take one dose and youre cured forever. Our tissues are constantly getting damaged Youre going to have to repeat-dose and use those stem cells to your advantage.

When you think about a lizard that loses its tail, it takes two years to grow back the tail. Why would we put unrealistic expectations on the stem cells that were trying to apply to repair or replace damaged tissue? This is a very slow process. This is something that will occur over months and may require repeat dosing.

In the past, stem cells were isolated from bone marrow, and were used for bone marrow transplants for cancer patients since the 1930s. But, stem cells come from just about any tissue in the human body, as every tissue contains stem cells.

Human bone marrow has very low amounts of mesenchymal stem cells now believed to be the most important, from a therapeutic perspective.

Mesenchymal stem cells help trigger an immunomodulatory response or a paracrine effect, which means they send signals out to the rest of your body, calling cells to the area to help promote healing.

What researchers have discovered recently is that a more plentiful source of stem cells is actually your fat tissue. Body fat can contain up to 500X more cells than bone marrow, as far as these mesenchymal type stem cells go.

One thing that is also critically important when youre talking about isolating the cells is the number of other cells that are going to be part of that population.

When youre isolating a bone marrow sample, this actually is very high in white blood cells, which are pro-inflammatory.

White blood cells are part of your immune response. When an injury occurs, or a foreign body enters your system, white blood cells will attack. Unfortunately, white blood cells do not discriminate, and can create quite a bit of damage as they clean the area out, Ms. Comella says.

Stem cells, in particular the mesenchymal cells, quiet down the white blood cells and then start the regeneration phase, which leads to new tissue.

Bone marrow tends to be very high in white blood cells and low in the mesenchymal cells. Isolating stem cells from fat tissue is preferred not only because its easier on the patient, but fat also contains a higher population of mesenchymal cells and fewer white blood cells.

The benefit also of isolating [stem cells from] fat is that its a relatively simple procedure. Theres typically no shortage of fat tissue, especially in Americans.

Also, as you age, your bone marrow declines with regards to the number of cells in it, whereas the fat tissue maintains a pretty high number of stem cells, even in older individuals.

We can successfully harvest fat off of just about anyone, regardless of their age or how thin they are. The procedure is done under local [anesthesia], meaning that the patient stays awake. They dont have to go under general anesthesia. We can harvest as few as 15 cubic centimeters of fat, which is a very small amount of fat, and still get a very high number of stem cells, Ms. Comella says.

A stem cell procedure can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on what is being done, and rarely if ever will insurance cover it.

Still, when compared it to the cost of long-term medications or the out-of-pocket cost of getting a knee replacement, stem cell therapy may still be a less expensive alternative.

Also, a single extraction will typically yield enough stem cells for 20 to 25 future treatments, should one decide to store stem cells for future needs.

I think it is accessible for patients, Ms. Comella says. Its an out-patient procedure. One should plan to be in clinic for about 2 hours; no real limitations afterwards, just no submerging in water, no alcohol, no smoking for a week. But other than that, patients can resume their normal activities and go about their regular daily lives.

Interestingly, Ms. Comella notes that patients who eat a very healthy diet, focusing on Organic and grass fed meat, have body fat that is very hearty and almost sticky, yielding high amounts of very healthy stem cells.

We can grow much better and faster stem cells from that fat than [the fat from] somebody who eats a grain-based diet or is exposed to a lot of toxins in their diet, she says. Their fat tends to be very fluffy, buttery yellow. The cells that come out of that are not necessarily as good a quality. Its just been very interesting. And of note, patients that are cigarette smokers, their fat is actually gray-tinged in color. The stem cells do not grow well at all.

The beauty of stem cell therapy is that it mimics a process that is ongoing in the human body all the time. Our stem cells are continuously promoting healing, and they do not have to be manipulated in any way. The stem cells naturally know how to hone in on areas of inflammation and how to repair damaged tissue.

All we are doing is harnessing the cells from one location where theyre sitting dormant and relocating them to exactly where we want them and we need them to work, Ms.Comella says. Basically, anything inside your body that is inflamed, that is damaged in some way, that is lacking blood supply, the [stem] cells can successfully treat.

That means orthopedics, knee injections, shoulder injections, osteoarthritis, acute injuries, anterior cruciate ligament tears in your back back pain associated with degenerative disc disease or damaged tendons or ligaments, herniated and bulging discs. You can also use it in systemic issues, everything from diabetes, to cardiac, to lungs any tissue organ inside your body thats been damaged.

Autoimmune diseases [can also be treated]. The stem cells are naturally immunosuppressant, meaning they can help quiet down an over reactive immune system and help the immune system function in a more normal way. Neurological diseases, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinsons. All of these have to do with tissue thats not functioning properly. The cells can be used to address that.

The list of different diseases that could benefit from this intervention is very impressive.

And one can dramatically improve the benefits of stem cell intervention by combining it with other healthy lifestyle factors that optimize mitochondrial function, such as eating a healthy Real Food diet, exercising, sleeping well, avoiding toxins and detoxifying from toxic influences.

Stem cells can be used as part of an anti-aging program. Ms. Comella has used stem cells on herself for several years, and report feeling better now than she did a decade ago.

The ability to reduce inflammation inside your body is basically making yourself live longer. Inflammation is what kills us all. Its what makes our telomeres shrink. Its what causes us pain and discomfort. Its what makes the tissues start to die. The ability to dose yourself with stem cells and bring down your inflammation, which is most likely caused by any sort of toxin that youve been exposed to breathing air is exposure to toxins this is going to lengthen your lifespan.

I typically will do a dose every 6 to 12 months, regardless of whats going on. If I have anything thats bothering me, if I tweak my knee at the gym, then I absolutely will come in and do an injection in my knee. I want to keep my tissue healthy for as long as possible.

I want to stay strong. I dont want to wait until something is wrong with me. I think that this is the future of medicine. This is what were going to start to see. People will begin to get their regular doses of [their own] stem cells and itll just be common practice.

Keep in mind there is a gradual and progressive decline in the quality and the number of stem cells as we age, so when considering this approach, it would be prudent and advantageous to extract and bank stem cells as early on as possible. There are stem cell banking services available.

Your stem cells are never as young as they are right now. Every minute that you live, your telomeres are shrinking. The ability to lock in the youth of your cells today can be very beneficial for you going forward, and for your health going forward. God forbid something happens. What if you have a heart attack? Youre not going to get clearance to get a mini-lipo aspirate procedure.

If you have your cells waiting in the bank, ready for you, it becomes very easy to pull a dose and do an IV delivery of cells. Its almost criminal that were not doing this for every single one of our cardiac patients. This should be standard practice. We should be having every single patient bank their stem cells at a young age and have them waiting, ready and available. The technology is there. We have it. Im not sure why this technology is not being made available to everyone,says.

I think stem cell therapy is very different than traditional medicine. Stem cell therapy may actually make it so that you dont have to be dependent on pharmaceutical medications. You can actually repair the tissue and thats it. This is a very different way of viewing medicine,Ms. Comella says.

The amniotic products available in the US are not so much stem cell products as they are growth factor products.

According to Ms. Comella, they can be useful in creating an immunomodulatory response, which can help to promote healing, but that differs from the living stem cell procedures that can be done by either isolating cells from body fat or bone marrow. As a general rule, clinical benefits are not achieved when using an amniotic product, primarily because they do not contain living stem cells.

I want to contrast that to what are called embryonic stem cells, Ms.Comella adds. The products obtained from cord blood, from women who are having babies, are not embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are when you are first bringing the egg and sperm together. Three days after that, you can isolate what is called an inner cell mass. This inner cell mass can be used to then grow cells in culture, or that inner cell mass could eventually lead to the formation of a baby.

Those are embryonic stem cells, and those are pluripotential, meaning that they have the ability to form an entire being, versus adult stem cells or stem cells that are present in amniotic tissue, [which] are multipotential, which only have the ability to form subsets of tissue.

When dealing with different diseases or damaged tissue or inflammation, mostly you want to repair tissue. If somebody has damage in their knee, they do nnot necessarily need embryonic cells because they do not need a baby in their knee. They need new cartilage in their knee.

Stem cell therapy is very different than traditional medicine. Stem cell therapy may actually make it so that we do have to depend on pharmaceutical medications. And we can actually repair the tissue and be done with it. This is a very different way of viewing medicine.

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively

cells, damage, help, medication, medicine, muscle, patients, procedures, repair, stem, therapy, tissues, toxins

Paul A. Ebeling, polymath, excels in diverse fields of knowledge. Pattern Recognition Analyst in Equities, Commodities and Foreign Exchange and author of The Red Roadmasters Technical Report on the US Major Market Indices, a highly regarded, weekly financial market letter, he is also a philosopher, issuing insights on a wide range of subjects to a following of over 250,000 cohorts. An international audience of opinion makers, business leaders, and global organizations recognizes Ebeling as an expert.

Read the rest here:
Stem Cells 101, the Value Proposition - Live Trading News

The 360+ joints in the human body link bones and keep our bodies flexible. Until they become painful. Physical discomfort, where bones meet to form a joint, can be mild to intensely agonizing when the joints cartilage, ligaments, tendons, or muscles become inflamed and sore. Pain in one joint may be the result of an injury, or a condition such as tendonitis. Pain in multiple joints may indicate arthritis or gout.

Many joint pain problems in the knees, hips, and shoulders can be relieved with stem cell injection therapy, according to Dr. Frank Ostir, Director, Ostir Physical Medicine in Joliet. He explains that stem cells have anti-inflammatory properties plus growth factors. They relieve pain and rebuild damaged joints by regenerating into new tissue and cartilage. Stem cells can also heal torn ligaments.

They speed up the bodys own healing abilities. Theres no risk of tissue rejection, and no toxic substances or side effects. This regenerative treatment gives the best results in the shortest amount of time, Ostir says.

This phenomenal advancement in regenerative medicine makes it possible for patients to be pain-free and possibly avoid surgery through a minimally invasive procedure performed in the office. The actual procedure takes about 15 minutes. We used guided imaging from fluoroscopy and ultrasound technology to inject the stem cells to the exact site of affliction. The stem cells are mixed with a local anesthetic and injected through a small needle, to minimize any discomfort.

Ostir continues, The patient usually rests on the day of the injection, and resumes regular activity afterwards. About 80 percent of healing occurs in the first two months of treatment, due to the rate of stem cells replicating. Its our hope that this truly amazing therapy will eliminate the need for drugs and surgery.

For more information, contact Ostir Physical Medicine, (815) 729-2022, or visit http://www.ostirphysicalmed.com.

See the original post:
Stem cell therapy relieves pain, restores joints - The Herald-News

Orthopaedic Tissues transplanted into humans are dead.

Thats right: Other than hearts, livers and kidneys for that must be kept alive for immediate transplantation, any tissue that is removed from a donor or a cadaver, frozen, washed, sterilized and finally delivered to a surgeon is dead. From there it may be used in new ACL grafts, meniscus replacements, rotator cuff patches, tendons for the hands and feet the list goes on.

The surgeon relies on the patients healing ability to recognize and revive the dead donor graft. The body does this by sending scavenger cells that open up pores for the new blood vessels to bore into, lacing new blood vessels into the tissue, and finally sending specialized cells that lay down new collagen and restore the graft to life. In ligaments, this wonderful tissue regeneration process is called ligamentization; in other tissues, remodeling.

But the process of remodeling takes time, and during that period of restoration the tissue is at its weakest stage. A new injury doesnt need to be very forceful to tear the healing tissue. And any illness might slow down the process. An early return to sports might put too much stress on the graft, leading to stretchingor, in the worst case, a complete failure to remodel.

But why, in the 21st century, do we rely on nature alone to heal our repaired and replaced tissues? Fortunately, the entire field of tissue regeneration is changing rapidlyand the Stone Research Foundation is at the forefront of this research.

We are now in what I call the Anabolic Era of orthopedics, where we add stem cells, growth factors, electrical stimulation and other factors to juice up the healing process. But stem cell science is advancing so rapidly that we now have off-the-shelf products with the highest desirable concentrations of stem cells and growth factors for every application.

Stem cells are pluripotent cells that produce a wide range of healing growth factors, along with anti-inflammatory, anti-scarring, and antimicrobial agents. A 50-year-old person has 1/4 the stem cells of a teenager.

Over the last few years, in the Stone Clinic, we concentrated and combined patients own stem cells and growth factors with donor tissues before using them to rebuild ACLs and meniscus tissue. This year, we have off-the-shelf amniotic tissue with validated live cells and 2 to 50 times the growth factor concentrations that we can obtain from the patients own blood. These tissues also contain millions of cellsmany times more than the few found in older peoples bone and fat. These off-the-shelf cells are immunoprivileged, meaning they are not rejected (for the same reason a mother does not reject the baby she carries) and do not form tumors.

Here is a short table of the stem cell sources today:

Pros: very vascular with many cells

Cons: Requires a surgical procedure; cell numbers decline with age.

Pros: Marrow cells are more similar to cartilage and bone

Cons: Painful bone marrow biopsy procedure; cell numbers decline with age

Pros: easy access with a needle puncture. Less expensive. Growth factors 2-5x normal

Cons: Very few stem cells.

Amniotic Fluid and Membranes:

Pros: 2-50x growth factor concentration. Very high concentration of stem cells. No second surgery.

Cons: Cost. Many preparations have dead cells. Quality control essential. If irradiated then low activity of growth factors.

Today, tissues transplanted in our clinic are pre-loaded with these amniotic growth factors and stem cells. We must now do the basic science to determine the optimal concentrations of these factors when infused into tissues and the clinical science to demonstrate if, and how much faster, the body heals with the use of these tissues.and if effective enough the application of stem cells and growth factors may quickly become widespread, leading to accelerated tissue repair.

Read more:
The Anabolic Era of Orthopaedics: Stem Cells which ones to use ... - Huffington Post

Soyka/Shutterstock, Dragon Images/Shutterstock

Discussion has raged for years about which is the best tea to drink for weight loss. But a new study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, reveals some groundbreaking findings that could put white tea at top of that list.

White tea uses the same leaves as green or black tea, but with minimal processing. The result is the purest form of tea, with high levels of polyphenols that help fight fat.

Heres the science behind how it works: The body stores energy from the food we eat in the liver and muscles. But when we eat more food than we need, evolution kicks in and the body tries to store that extra energy as fat, in case we need it in the future. The body transforms preadipocyte cells (stem cells that can develop into different kinds of cells, depending on how theyre triggered), into fat cells known as adipocytes.

In this new scientific study, researchers bathed human preadipocytes in extracts of white tea to see how it affected their development into adipocytes. They found that the solution slowed down the growth of those fat cells and helped break down existing ones.

Adrienne Youdim, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, explains why this study is unique. There have been studies in the past that have looked at rat or mouse models, she says. While those studies are very helpful, we know that different species of animal may function very differently on a cellular level. So this study is important because theyre actually using human fat cells.

It would be great to think that simply drinking white tea could be answer to all our diet problems. However, as amazing as it may sound, losing weight is not as straightforward as merely upping our intake. According to Dr. Youdim, the bodys drive to preserve calories is extremely complex.

Its driven by hormones that are released from fat cells in the stomach, from the intestines, and from the pancreas, as well as numerous different centers in the brain, she explains. To say that one pathway is going to completely change the way that we, as human beings, preserve energy would be far-fetched.

But neither does Dr. Youdim dismiss the health benefits of white tea in our fight against the flab.

There have been studies showing that 300mg (the equivalent of one mugs worth) can help suppress appetite and increase metabolism, she says. Has that ever been shown to result in tremendous weight loss when nothing else was done? Of course not. But it can be one component, as part of a holistic lifestyle change that employs diet and exercise modification.

Drinking white tea is unlikely to make much difference to your weight on its own. But when enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, it could be an important ally in your battle to stay slim and healthy.

Go here to read the rest:
Tea for Weight Loss: Can White Tea Help You Lose Weight ... - Reader's Digest

(EnviroNews World News) Kobe, Japan For more than two million Americans, straight lines may look wavy and the vision in the center of their eye may slowly disappear. Its called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and there is no cure. But that may change soon.

A surgical team at Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital in Japan recently injected 250,000 retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells into the right eye of a man in his 60s. The cells were derived from donor stem cells stored at Kyoto University. It marked the first time that retinal cells derived from a donors skin have been implanted in a patients eye. The skin cells had been reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), which can be grown into most cell types in the body.

The procedure is part of a safety study authorized by Japans Ministry of Health that will involve five patients. Each will be followed closely for one year and continue to receive follow-up exams for three additional years. Project leader Dr. Masayo Takahashi at Riken, a research institution that is part of the study, told the Japan Times, A key challenge in this case is to control rejection. We need to carefully continue treatment.

A previous procedure on a different patient in 2014 used stem cells from the individuals own skin. Two years later, the patient reported showing some improvement in eyesight. But the procedure cost $900,000, leading the study team to move forward using donor cells. They expect the costs to come down to less than $200,000.

Among people over 50 in developed countries, AMD is the leading cause of vision loss. According to the National Eye Institute, 14 percent of white Americans age 80 or older will suffer some form of AMD. The condition is almost three times more common among white adults than among people of color. Women of all races comprise 65 percent of AMD cases.

The lack of a cure has led some to try unproven treatments. Three elderly women lost their sight after paying $5,000 each for a stem cell procedure at a private clinic in Florida. Clinic staff used liposuction to remove fat from the womens bellies. They then extracted stem cells from the fat, which were injected into both eyes of each patient in the same procedure, resulting in vision loss in both eyes. Two of the three victims agreed to a lawsuit settlement with the company that owned the clinic.

Stem cell therapy is still at an early stage. As of January 2016, 10 clinical uses have been approved around the world, all using adult stem cells. These include some forms of leukemia and bone marrow disease, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and some rare inherited disorders including sickle cell anemia. Stem cell transplants are now often used to treat multiple myeloma, which strikes more than 24,000 people a year in the U.S.

Clinical trials to treat type 1 diabetes, Parkinsons disease, stroke, brain tumors and other conditions are being conducted. The first patient in a nationwide clinical study to receive stem cell therapy for heart failure recently underwent the procedure at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. An experimental treatment at Keck Medical Center of USC last year on a paralyzed patient restored the 21-year-old mans use of his arms and hands. Harvard scientists see stem cell biology as a path to counter aging and extend human lifespans. But the International Society for Stem Cell Research warns that there are many challenges ahead before these treatments are proven safe and effective.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates stem cells to ensure that they are safe and effective for their intended use. But, that doesnt stop some clinics from preying on worried patients. The FDA warns on its website that the hope that patients have for cures not yet available may leave them vulnerable to unscrupulous providers of stem cell treatments that are illegal and potentially harmful.

While there is yet no magic cure for AMD, the Japan study and others may one day lead there. The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) in Boston is currently researching retina stem cell transplants. One approach uses gene therapy to generate a molecule that preserves healthy vision. Another involves Muller cells, which give fish the ability to repair an injured retina.

But these therapies are far off. We are at about the halfway mark, but there is still a precipitous path ahead of us, Takahashi said.

Originally posted here:
World's 1st Stem Cell Transplant from Donor to Man's Eye Shows Promise of Restoring Sight - EnviroNews (registration) (blog)

A Russian television network has published a video of the attack on opposition leader Aleksei Navalny in which the face of the assailant is blurred, drawing fire from the activist who says his vision may be permanently damaged after the incident.

The video showing an unidentified man splashing a green antiseptic, known as "zelyonka," on Navalnys face first appeared on the website of Russias REN-TV network on April 28, one day after the attack.

But it only gained wider attention after the anticorruption crusader tweeted about it two days later.

Navalny suggested that the video was leaked to the Kremlin-friendly private broadcaster by authorities and accused Russia's Federal Security Service of involvement.

"They have no shame," Navalny wrote in the April 30 tweet.

In a separate post about the video on his website, Navalny wrote bitingly about the likelihood that investigators would use the video to track down the assailant.

"How nice. What do you think? Will they come to Ren-TV tomorrow to seize the video and establish how it was filmed and why the Ren-TV guys blurred out the attacker's face? Of course not," he wrote.

It was not immediately clear if the footage had also been broadcast by Ren-TV.

Earlier, on April 30, Navalny said his eye may be permanently damaged due to a chemical burn he suffered to his cornea and pupil in the April 27 attack.

He said that his doctor believes the green liquid contained another substance that may have caused the the burn.

Navalny added that he continues to apply eye drops every 15 minutes, and is receiving injections as well.

"We're fighting to ensure that the vision in the eye remains clear," Navalny said. "If it doesnt work out (and that's a possibility, alas), then Russia will have a president with a stylish white eye."

Kremlin critics are frequently targeted in guerrilla zelyonka attacks. Typically, however, these assaults do not cause permanent injuries.

Navalny on April 30 accused security services of providing information about his movements to those who have carried out attacks against him.

"I have no doubt -- and my confidence is based on facts -- that the presidential administration organized this attack," Navalny wrote.

The Kremlin has previously denied accusations by Navalny and his supporters that it is involved in efforts aimed at discrediting or intimidating him.

Navalny also made light of the incident on April 30 post, publishing a photoshopped image of himself as actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's one-eyed cyborg character in the Terminator franchise of science fiction films.

"I always said that Terminator 2 is my favorite film, so it's all my fault," he wrote.

Originally posted here:
Russian TV Network Shows Video Of Navalny Attack, Blurs Assailant's Face - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Health April 30, 2017 5:00 AM ByHeather Donahoe Parade More by Heather

There are often no early warning signs for the very conditions that most threaten your eyesight, including glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease, says Rachel Bishop, M.D., an ophthalmologist and researcher at the National Eye Institute. She suggests these proactive moves to keep your eyes healthy.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam

This is more than just a vision screening. An eye care professional places drops in each eye to dilate, or widen, the pupil. This illuminates the back of the eyes so that he or she can see signs of damage or disease.

Know your history

Eye diseases are often hereditary, so its important to know if anyone in your family has been diagnosed. This information will help determine your risk level and establish how frequently your eyes should be checked.

Eat right

Carrots are good for your eyes, but so are dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens. Youll also want to eat plenty of fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna and halibut. They deliver a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids beneficial for eye health, research shows.

Stub it out

Smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and optic nerve damage, all of which can cause blindness. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.

Wear shades

Choose sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation.

Take a break

When using a phone, computer or any electronic screen, reduce eyestrain with the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.

Read more from the original source:
May Is Healthy Vision Month: 6 Proactive Steps for Protecting Your Peepers - Parade

Photo: Contributed / Contributed

The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free presentations on diabetes medication on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Griffin Hospital.

The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free presentations on diabetes medication on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Griffin Hospital.

Griffin to host talk on diabetes, foot health

DERBY The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free presentations on foot health on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. at the hospital, 130 Division St., Derby.

Podiatrist Dr. Luke Jeffries, of Yale Podiatry Group, will present Foot Care & Prevention of Foot Complications in the hospitals Childbirth Education Classroom A. There is free valet parking.

The Diabetes Education & Support Group meets September through June on the second Tuesday of each month to discuss the management of diabetes, its challenges, and day-to-day dietary concerns. Individuals with diabetes and their caregivers are welcome to attend.

No registration is required. For more information, call Mary Swansiger at 203-732-1137.

See original here:
Griffin to host talk on diabetes, foot health - CT Post

When it comes to diabetes in the United States, minority populations are hardest hit.

African Americans and Hispanics are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and national examination surveys. African American and Hispanic Americans have higher rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) caused by diabetes and start ESRD treatment 2.4 and 1.6 times more often, respectively, compared with non-Hispanic whites.

Income, stable and affordable housing, access to healthy food, quality education and a host of other factors influence a person's health status and longevity. These factors, what public health professionals recognize as social determinants of health, contribute to higher rates of diabetes and associated illness in African American and Hispanic American communities.

During National Minority Health Month each April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) leads the nation in raising awareness about these disparities, their causes and the impact they have on minority communities and the nation as a whole.

The theme of this years National Minority Health Month observance Bridging Health Equity Across Communities, emphasizes the collaborative, community-level work being done across the

nation to help achieve health equity. Dannons partnership with WIC and Lenox Hill Hospitals partnership with leading health providers are two examples of collaborative efforts to bridge the health equity gap.

One way Dannon is helping to achieve health in minorities is by working to make healthier food choices readily available to WIC participants. The addition of yogurt to the WIC food packages, which began on April 1, 2015, brings important nutrients to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children at critical life stages.

Yogurt is especially well suited for the WIC audience. Most yogurts provide three out of the four nutrients of concern -- calcium, potassium and vitamin D -- and eating yogurt regularly is associated with less weight gain over time. Overweight and obesity are two major risk factors for diabetes. Yogurt is also a source of high quality protein, which can help support bone and muscle strength, and most yogurts contain live and active cultures that help with lactose digestion.

Dannon offers a variety of WIC eligible products to meet WIC participants needs and preferences which can be found here.

Lenox Hill Hospital Partnership

The Gerald J. Friedman Diabetes Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York along with a coalition of other leading health care providers, government officials, public- and private-sector companies, and community-based organizations, recently pledge to help build a sustainable path to health and wellness for the thousands of New Yorkers living with diabetes.

The coalitions new program Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES! Diabetes NO!), is a bilingual, long-term health initiative that will take a comprehensive and systematic look at diabetes among Latinos with the goal of uncovering the root causes, leading to more effective and efficient delivery of prevention, education, testing, and treatment.

Participants of Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES! Diabetes NO!) have access to bi-lingual diabetes educators, nutritionists, social workers, exercise trainers and other diabetes specialists to help improve the management of their diabetes and help them live longer healthier lives.

You can learn more about Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES, Diabetes NO!) on social media including Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VidaSIDiabetesNO on https://twitter.com/VSIDNO and on Instagram under user name @vsidno.

Dannons partnership with WIC and Lenox Hills Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES! Diabetes NO!) program are national and community level partnerships that will help close the diabetes disparities gap in African Americans and Hispanics.

See original here:
Closing the Diabetes Disparities Gap - Huffington Post